Game apparatus



Feb. 18, 1930.

c. A. WETZELL GAME APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 48' 1Idol ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 18, 1930' PATENT OFFICE CLARE A. WETZELL,or STERLING, ILLINOIS GAME APPARATUS Application filed Marchfli', 1928.Serial No. 265,078.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in game apparatusand has for its principal object the provision of an approvedconstruction of this character which will be economical in manufacture,fascinatingandamusing inuse. j j

Among the several objects of the invention isto provide a game apparatuswhich includes unchangeable elements affording the playing of severalgames without wholly disassembling the apparatus. .Otherobjects will,appear hereinafter. a ;;The invention consists in thenovel com binationand arrangements of parts herein- 1 after described and claimed. I

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, 'showingthe preferred form of construction and in which Fig. 1is atop plan view of the game embodyingimyinvention;

;Fig{.. 2 is a sectional detail view of the same taken substantially online 22 of Figure 1; I Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of the same 5taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1'; f Fig. 4: isa plan viewofthe game illustrated in Figure 1,: showing an attachment thereto Fig.5 is a fragmentary perspective View ofithe; attachment I tusillustratedin Figure 1 showing an attachment thereto;

Fig. 7 is a sectional 'detail view of the same taken substantially online 77 of Figure 6;

35 Fig.18 is afragmentary sectional detail may be played and toaccomplish this. and

' other objects of the invention, I provide a .baseplate' 1Owhichinclu'des on three sides jflanges 11" and 12 defining av restrictedfield 13. Opposite the flange 12 the base plate pro- Fig.6 is a planview of the game apparavides a flange 14 which has its intermediateportion removed as at 15 to provide a substantial space for the end ofthe operator and to accommodate a projecting device indicated at 16 andhereinafter more fully de scribed. At one end of the base plate there isdefined a plurality of seats 17 on which pins 18 are mounted at theopposite end of the base plate there is likewise provided a plurality ofseats 19 which may be of a different color and design from the color anddesign of the seat 17 whereby to distinguish the seats. The projectingdevice which is herein indicated at 16 is similar in structure to thatdisclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 265,079, filed March27, 1928, and therefore only such structure as is necessary tounderstand the operation and use of the present invention will bedescribed.

This projecting device includes the body 7 20 defining the receivingseat 21 and guiding groove 22 returning through and adapted to support aplurality of balls 23 to be suc cessively received bythe seat 21 andproj ected by the spring actuated projecting head 24 operated bymeans ofa handle 25. This body is providedwith an opening26 into which projectsa stud 27 carried by the plate 10 whereby the projecting device may bemoved from side to side and held firmly in one position.

In playing the. game shown in Figure 1, the pins are positioned upon theseat 17 The projecting head is Withdrawn by means of the handle 27 sothat the first ball may find entrance to the receiving seat. The handleis released and the projecting head strikes the ball and projects theball toward the pins knocking down one or more of the pins.

The flanges 11 provide aligned openings 28 through which fasteningelements 29 are adapted to be passed to secure a coil spring 30transversely of the plate 10 adjacent the flange 12. These fasteningelements as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing are each formed from a linkof wire bent to provide a loop 31 which has connection with the end loop32 of the spring coil. The links are passed through the openings byextending the links longitudinally with respect to the coil spring andafter they have passed through they are turned Substantially at rightangles with respect to the coil spring whereby to firmly hold the coilspring in the position shown in Figure 1. By the use of this spring incon nection with the base plate, the pins may be struck down from theseats 19 and this is accomplished in the following manner.

The pins are firstdisposed upon the seats 19 and a ball is positioned intheseat by retracting the projecting head. hen this is accomplished theprojecting head is released to strike the ball by action of the springprojecting the ball toward the coil spring. The impact of the ballagainst the coil spring will place this spring under tension and whenthis spring returns to its normal position itwill throw the ball backtoward the pinsupon the seat 19 and strike-one orinore of these pinsdown.

In Figure to the game apparatus shown in Figure 1 whereby an entirelydifferent game may be played. In this particular instance there ismounted upon the base plate a platform This platform 33 is held abovethe base plate by means of end flanges 34. Theedge 35 of the platformdefines an inclined flange 36 which extends slightly to the rear andabove the spring 30. The platform has formed therein a plurality ofspaced openings 37 each indicated by numerical character 38. Theseopenings are of a smallerdimensi'on than the balls 39 and when the balls39 are positioned upon the platform their portions 40 will be exposedbeneath the platform through these openings. Thedista'nce between theplatform and the base plate is of a suiiicient diameter to permit a ballto travel thereunder, but

the distance between the exposed portionsof the balls and the platformis of a dimension whereby the ball will come in contact with one or moreof th exposed portions of the balls to unseat the balls fromtheir-positions in the openings.

WVhen the platform is mounted uppn the base plate the game is played inthe following manner. I

The projector head is retracted to permit one of the balls 23 to passdown into the receiving seat. When the projector head is released itwill strike this ball and direct the ball toward the platform. The ballwill pass under the platform and if aimed correctly will; hit one ormore of the exposed portions of the balls 39 and unseat these balls thushit from the openings. The ball 23 when it passes under theplatform-will strike against the coil spring and be bounced backwardtoward the playing end ofth'e game apparatus. I v V In Figure 8 I haveshown an attachment to the game apparatus shown in Figure 7 and in thisinstance the attachment includes a plate 41 having one edge portion 42resting 6 I'have shown an attachment upon the base plate 10 and itsupper edge 43 flush with the edge 44 ofthe platform. The plate 41 issupported in an inclined position by end flanges 45. With thisadditional attachment it is intended that the balls will be guided upthe plate 41 onto the platform 33 to settle in different-of the openingsprovided therein.

In Figures 9 and 10 I have shown a further I attachment which is adaptedto be associated with the game apparatus illustrated in'Figures 1 and 2and in the preferred form of construction this attachment includes aplate 46 which is shaped to represent the side of a cabin or the likeand provided with Window openings 47 The fianges ll provide oppositegrooves 48 into which the edges 49 of the plate l6 are adapted to passto effect connection between this plate and the-template. Tethe rear ofthe plate 4.6 there reattached in any suitable manner a trackway 5O intoalon which a plurality of balls 51 are adapted to I pass. This}trackw'ay is supported in an inclined position upon the plate 46 wherebythe balls are to pass by gravity to the lower end portion 52 of thetraekway, wh-ie hlow'er end portion 52 is exposedthrough a dpor opening53 fortneclin the plate 46. This trackway at this we portion is rovidedwith an opening 54 through which portiens '55 of the balls will beexposed. In pI-aj ingthe game with this attachment the object is to aimthe ball prejecting frointhe projecting device toward and'through theopeningso that the'projected ball will strike the portion 55 of the ball51 in the opening 54 to unseat the ball from that opening. 1 In view ofthe fact that the trackway is-in c li-iied itis manifest that the tailswill seat by gravity if each ball is struck from the openi g. k

In considering the various structiires 'vvhich I have herein shownanddescribedit will be manifest that I haie'pr'otided a single game withseveral attachments-whereby several games be played in a fascinating andamusing manner.

I do not wlsh' to g pro ecting devlce to heuse'd 1n connectlon with theame apparatus herein describednar v to any particular designof pins orballslwhich are to be struck down by the proj (acting-balls as it isobvious'that different styles of pins and balls may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of my investi ate with out making any radicalchanges.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of cnstruction for carrying my invention intoeffect, this. capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I; therefore do notwishto be limited to theprecise details ofconstruetio'n'set forth, but desire to avail m self ofsu'chvariationgandgniodifications as come within the scope of theappended claims.

be. limited toa'ny style-0f.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as newand desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus including a baseboard providing a field, a memberextending spaced openings, a plurality of balls positioned in saidopenings with portions exposed through said openings beneath theplatform, a ball adapted to be projected toward and beneath the platformin a direction to engage one or more of the ball portions exposedbeneath the platform, and means for projecting said balls. I v

2. A game apparatus including a baseboard providinga field, a memberextending transversely of the field at one end thereof and having aportion providing a platform I and other portions supporting theplatform in spaced relation with respect to the base plate, saidplatform being provided with a plurality of spaced openings, a pluralityof 1 balls positioned in sa1d openings with pors tions exposed throughsaid openings beneath the platform, a ball adapted to be pro- 'jectedtoward and beneath the platform in a direction to engage one or more ofthe ball portions exposed beneath the platform, and

means for projecting said balls and means for changing the direction ofmovement of said ball after passing under the platform.

3. A game apparatus including a restricted A field, a plurality ofballs, means supporting V said'balls above the field, a ball adapted tobe projected toward said supporting means into contact with the balls attheir lower portions.

and means for projecting said balls.

4:. A game apparatus including a member having a plurality of openingsformed there- "in, a plurality of elements positioned in the openingswith their lower portions exposed from the bottom of said members, aball adapted tobe projected toward said member and pass thereunder tostrike one or more of the exposed portions of said balls, means forsupporting said member to permit said ball topass'thereunder intocontact with said exposed portions, and means forprojecting said balls.

5. A game apparatus including a member having a plurality of openingsformed there i in, a plurality'of elements positioned in the openingswith their lower portions exposed from the bottom of said members, aball adapted to be projected toward said member s and pass" thereunderto strike one or more of the exposed portions of said balls, means forsupporting said member to permit said ball to pass thereunder intocontact with said ex-' s posed portions, and means for projecting saidballs, andmeans for arresting movement of said ball after passing undersaid platform and for throwing said ball in an opposite direction.

6. A game apparatus including a member providing a restricted field, amember providing a platform and having end portions supportin theplatform in spaced relation with the eld, said platform having aplurality of openings formed therein, a plurality of balls positioned inthe openings with their lower portions projecting through the openingsbeneath the platform, a ball adapted to be projected beneath theplatform into contact with one or more of the exposed portions of saidballs, means for projecting said balls, a spring member extendingtransversely of the field and longitudinally with respect to the outeredge of the platform and adapted to arrest movement of the ball andthrow said ball in an opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

CLARE A. WETZ LL.

